John flynn



2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

N R U D HR m m E m m NR M Y L F J (No Model.)

No; 374,668. Patented Deq..13, 188 7.

{No Model.)

2 SheetsSheet 2.

J. FLYN N & J. F. KILBURN.

-WIREISTRBTGHER.

No. 374,668. Patented Dec. 13, 1887.

N, PETERS PjwtoLilhogrzphenLwahinglcn n c UNITED STATES.

PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN FLYNN, OF MAGEDON, AND JAMES FREDERICK KILBURN, OF SOUTH YARRA, VICTORIA. I

WlRE-STR-ETCHER. 4.

SPECIFICATION forming part. of Letters Patent No. 374,668, dated December 13, 1887,

Application filed September 16, 1887. Serial No. 249.887. (No model.) Patented in Victoria August 21, 1886, No. 4,6T8; in South Australia July 8, 1887, and in Tasmania July 11, 1887, No.'472/5.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, JOHN FLYNN, a subject of the Queen of Great Britain, residing at Macedon, in the British colony of Victoria,

State school-teacher, and JAMES FREDERICK KILBURN, also a subject ofthe Queen of Great Britain, residing at No. Howitt street,South Yarra, in the said British colony, engineer, have invented certain Improvementsin Vire- Io Stretchers, (for which the said JOHN FLYNN has obtained Letters Patent in the British 001- ony of Victoria, patent dated the 21st day of August, 1886, and numbered 4,678, and for which we, the said JOHN FLYNN and JAMES 15 FREDERICK KILBURN filed applications for Letters Patent in the following British 0010- Mes-namely, Tasmania on the 11th day of July, 1887, numbered 472/6, that under the laws governing the grant of patents in said colony the Letters Patent will bear date as of the day of filing, that up to the present time the patent on said application filed in said colony has not been granted; and South Australia, application filed on the 8th day of July, 25 1887, that under the laws governing the grant of patents in said colony the Letters Patent will bear date as of the day of filing, and that up to the present time the patent on said application filed in said colony has not been granted, and therefore the number thereof cannot be given, and that applications for patents having been sent for filing in the following British coloniesnamely, New Zealand, Queensland, and New South Wales,) of which 3 5 the following is a specification.

This invention relates to those descriptions of wire-strainers which strain the wire at any point between the posts, and are then left permanently on the wire, so that they may again be used for straining the wire when it sags or becomes slack.

The body of this wire-strainer consists of a barrel,which may be cylindrical, as ordinarily, or polygonal, at one end of which a strain-retaining finger is formed standing out at right angles to the barrel. The extremity of thesaid finger is provided with a hook or bent point to retain and prevent the wire from slipping off. Instead of employing-but one retaining-finger two or more of such fingers can be employed, in which case the fingers are caused to project from the barrel portion at an angle to each other, for a purpose hereinafter set forth. At the other end of the barrel two projecting claws or hooks are formed for the purpose of gripping the wire to enable it to be wound upon the barrel as the strainer is rotated. The relative position and form of the said claws or hooks may be varied; but in all cases we prefer to form the claws or hooks with curved rear surfaces, whereby the wire will be guided onto the barrel portion during the operation of winding. In the first and most preferable arrangement the claws or hooks project outwardly from the end of the barrel and are formed parallel to each other, having their extremities pointing in opposite directions. A second and alternative arrangement of the claws consists in placing them at one end of the barrel, but at about right angles to each other. A third and other alternative arrangement' consists in making the claws project from the periphery of the barrel near one end, one of such claws beingin the form of atapered stud perpendicular to the barrel, the other being curved in the form of a helix, so as to lead the wire onto the barrel when the strainer is rotated.

To rotate the wire-strainer a key is provided having a slot formed at one end to fit 80 the flattened part of the retaining-finger where it joins the barrel. A thumb-screw is fitted to the key for the purpose of securing it to the strainer while the operation of straining is being performed. An eye is formed at the other extremity of the key to receive a handle.

The drawings hereto attached illustrate the varied forms of this improved wire-strainer.

Figure 1 is a front view of the best form of this strainer, showing it with a single retaining-finger and with the wire coiled upon the barrel. Fig. 2 is a view thereof at right angles to Fig. 1, but without the'wire.- Fig. 3 is an end view showing thearrangcment of the gripping claws or hooks and the manner in which they engage with or grip the wire at the commencement of the operation of strain-- ing, one of the hooks passing over and the other underthe wire. Fig. 4 is afront view of this strainer, illustrating the second and alternative arrangement of gripping hooks or claws. Fig. 5 is an end view of its claw end. Fig. 6 is an opposite end view showing its retainingfinger, while Fig. 7 is a view at right angles to Fig. 4, showing also theakey attached to the strainer. Fig. 8 is a view of the key at right angles to Fig. 7. Fig. 9 is a front view of the strainer, illustrating the third and other alternative arrangement of claws, and also showing the strainer provided with two retaining-fingers instead of one only. The multiple retaining-finger arrangement may be applied .to and used in combination with the strainer when either the first, second, or third arrangement of gripping-claws is employed. Fig. 10 is a view of the claw end of Fig. 9, and Fig. 11 is an end view showing the retaining-fingers.

A is the barrel of the wire-strainer, having at one end the retaining finger or fingers B, which are constructed with a bent or hooked point, B. \Vhen two or more retaining'fingers are employed, we cause them to project radially from the barrel portion at an angle to each other, as shown in Figs. 9 and 11, so that when the wire has been fully stretched but a slight backward turn of the stretcher will enable one of tbe retaining-fingers to hook beneath the wire to hold the wire against any further rotation. The sides of the retaining-finger are flattened at its junction with the barrel, and in one of the flat sides a groove, 13, is formed to fit a corresponding projection in the jaws or slot C'of the key 0, which key has an eye at the outer end of its stem to receive a wooden or iron handle, 0. thumb-screw attached to the key for securing it to the strainer during the operation ofstraining.

Any suitable arrangement of claws or hooks for grasping the wire to be stretched, such as are common in stretchers of this'class, may be employed, and in the drawings we have illustrated several arrangements which can be adopted. \Ve, however, form the rear surface of each of the claws curved, whereby the wire will be guided onto the barrel portion during the operation of winding.

In the first form of claw arrangement, Fig. 1, the claws or hooks spring outward from the end of the barrel and have their points turned in opposite directions.

In the second form of claw arrangement (shown in' Figs. .4, 5, and 7) E is the long claw or hook turned across the end of the barrel at right angles thereto, and E is the other and shorter claw springing from the end of the barrel like the first-named claw, but having its point turned perpendicularly to the latter.

-1ed' onto the barrel.

0 is a E is an opening between the two claws to receive the wire.

In the third form of claw arrangement (shown in Figs. 9 and 10) the tapered stud or claw F and the curved wing or claw F spring from the periphery or side of the barrel near one end. F is an opening between the claws to receive the wire, the clawF curving therefrom in the fOIlIl' of a helix and having its point turned outwardly from and at any convenient angle to the stud F.

In Fig. 3 the wire G is shown gripped by the hooks, as at the commencement of the straining operation.

In Fig. 1 the wire G is shown as being strained and wound upon the barrel and caught or engaged by the retaining-finger. I

H, Fig. 9, is a flattened projection upon which the key may be fastened.

The mode of operation is as follows: The wire-strainer is first secured to the key in the manner described. Then it is placed upon the wire to be strained in such a position that the wire lies across and within the reversed points of the claws or hooks D D, Fig. 3. One of the said claws passes over and the other under the wire. The strainer is then rotated,and by reason of the curved form of the claws the wire is By continuing such rotation the wire is wound upon the barrel until it is sufiiciently strained, when, by slightly canting the strainer, the hooked extremity of the retaining-finger is made to catch or engage the strained wire. The strainer is thus prevented from revolvi ugin the reverse direction, and therefore it is impossible for the wire to unwind itself. Should the wire afterward become slack, all that is necessary is to unhook the retaining-finger and rotate the barrel as before until the wire is again sufficiently strained, when the retaining-finger is again made to catch or engage with thewire, so as to retain the fresh strain put upon it.

The mode of operation for the alternative forms of wire-strainer is similar to that just described, as in each case the strainer is placed against the wire with the clawsat its opposite sides, when, by rotating the strainer, thewire toward said barrel portion, and at its other end with retaining fingers or arms radiating therefrom at an angle to each other, all as described, for the purpose specified.

2. A wire-stretcher of the class described,

374,668 I g v, 3

having a barrel portion upon which the wire fitting in said notch B and a set-screw for is wound, provided at one end with claws or securing said operating-lever to the stretcher. IO

hooks for grasping the wire to be stretched JOHN FLYNN and at its other end with a retaining arm or 5 arms, and having a notch or recess, B", formed JAMES FREDERICK KILBURN' in said end, in combination with an operat- Witnesses:

ing-lever adapted to be fitted upon the end of WALTER SMYTHE BAYSTON,

L the barrel portion, having a lug or projection I WALTER CHARLES HART. 

